Soilwork Appreciation

[ariich]

I could never really get into Chainheart Machine, but Natural Born Chaos is fantastic from their early work.

APP I always thought was very underrated also.

Definitely, that was actually my first Soikwork album way back in the day and it's still great. I completely lost touch with what they were doing after Figure Number Five and didn't rediscover them until The Living Infinite.

[DoctorAction]

Thanks, guys. Will check em out.

[wolfking]

I could never really get into Chainheart Machine, but Natural Born Chaos is fantastic from their early work.

APP I always thought was very underrated also.

Definitely, that was actually my first Soikwork album way back in the day and it's still great. I completely lost touch with what they were doing after Figure Number Five and didn't rediscover them until The Living Infinite.

Even my strong thoughts on their old stuff, I think The Ride Majestic may be my fav album.  That's just one amazing, complete metal album.

[nattmorker]

Even my strong thoughts on their old stuff, I think The Ride Majestic may be my fav album.  That's just one amazing, complete metal album.

Totally agree with you! The Ride Majestic is a totally great album! I absolutely love it. I became a fan of them again with that album after losing track of them after stabbing the drama.

[wolfking]

Even my strong thoughts on their old stuff, I think The Ride Majestic may be my fav album.  That's just one amazing, complete metal album.

Totally agree with you! The Ride Majestic is a totally great album! I absolutely love it. I became a fan of them again with that album after losing track of them after stabbing the drama.

Saying that, it was a big grower for me.  In fact, I don't think I've ever had an album that took so long to grow on me that turned into such a magnificant album for me.  Even now, I can listen to it and it still feels fresh.  It's consistent but a bit varied at the same time.  The two bonus tracks also I rate in the upper tier of the album too.  Both could actually be top 5 of the whole album.  Pretty close to a masterpiece if you ask me.

[gazinwales]

For me they peaked with the Living Infinite, a classic double dose of death metal, plus Beyond The Infinite EP, you have 25 ball busting songs.

[wolfking]

For me they peaked with the Living Infinite, a classic double dose of death metal, plus Beyond The Infinite EP, you have 25 ball busting songs.

It's a wonderful double album, but I do feel it's a little bloated.

[Polarbear]

For me they peaked with the Living Infinite, a classic double dose of death metal, plus Beyond The Infinite EP, you have 25 ball busting songs.

It's a wonderful double album, but I do feel it's a little bloated.

There's only the weird closing track of disc 2 that I don't like, rest is pure ear candy. The Living Infinite is probably my favorite too, but I also really love their latest album. The Ride Majestic is really good too. Now that I think about it, I don't think there is a single Soilwork album that I outright dislike. Even their "transitional crisis" albums: Sworn to a Great Divide and Panic Broadcast are good IMO.

[wolfking]

Totally agree.  They don't have a bad album. 

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

TLI and TRM are definitely hightlights in their career. Perfect albums with the latter being my favourite.

[gazinwales]

Listening to the new EP via YT music and they've done it again.
The title track 'A Whisp Of The Atlantic' is 16:25 of Soilwork at their very best, progressive death metal, even has some jazzy bits at the end.

[wolfking]

Listening to the new EP via YT music and they've don't it again.
The title track 'A Whisp Of The Atlantic' is 16:25 of Soilwork at their very best, progressive death metal, even has some jazzy bits at the end.

Hoping to purchase a copy of this.  Looking forward to hearing this epic.

[gazinwales]

Listening to the new EP via YT music and they've don't it again.
The title track 'A Whisp Of The Atlantic' is 16:25 of Soilwork at their very best, progressive death metal, even has some jazzy bits at the end.

Hoping to purchase a copy of this.  Looking forward to hearing this epic.

Good luck only on streaming and vinyl at the moment, no CD.

[wolfking]

Listening to the new EP via YT music and they've don't it again.
The title track 'A Whisp Of The Atlantic' is 16:25 of Soilwork at their very best, progressive death metal, even has some jazzy bits at the end.

Hoping to purchase a copy of this.  Looking forward to hearing this epic.

Good luck only on streaming and vinyl at the moment, no CD.

No CD format, bah! 

[Polarbear]

Ok, i have to say that I freakin' love the epic!

Listened it once, and I had to start it again from the beginning immediately after! Superb playing and melodies throughout. And I love how Sven Karlsson gets a chance to shine with he's keyboards in several places here. He is almost always far back in the mix in other Soilwork songs, but here he gets to lead the song in several places.

[wolfking]

Anywhere where we can buy a digital copy?

[wolfking]

Hmmmm....I was a bit underwhelmed by that song.  I kind of expected more from a 16 minute track.

[ariich]

Hmmmm....I was a bit underwhelmed by that song.  I kind of expected more from a 16 minute track.

I'm finding it a real grower. It's like Soilwork does prog metal. The first half builds up from something pretty middle of the road to something pretty intense, then the second half has a much more proggy groove that I'm really digging to then come back round to an intense final chorus.

The rest of the album is more standard modern Soilwork fare in terms of style but the quality is high once again, Death Diviner especially I'm just absolutely loving, my favourite on the album.

[wolfking]

Hmmmm....I was a bit underwhelmed by that song.  I kind of expected more from a 16 minute track.

I'm finding it a real grower. It's like Soilwork does prog metal. The first half builds up from something pretty middle of the road to something pretty intense, then the second half has a much more proggy groove that I'm really digging to then come back round to an intense final chorus.

The rest of the album is more standard modern Soilwork fare in terms of style but the quality is high once again, Death Diviner especially I'm just absolutely loving, my favourite on the album.

I'm expecting it to be a grower.  Later Soilwork normally is.  Listening to it for the first time while watching the God awful video clip I don't think helped.

[ariich]

I've not seen any video clips. I don't think I even heard all three of the Feverish trilogy when those vids were released, and the ones I did hear I only listened to once. I don't generally like listening to new songs/singles on their own. I can get into the music much more when listening to a full album or EP.

Also I'm just realising that apparently I never bothered to check out the Underworld EP and I've no idea why.

[wolfking]

I've not seen any video clips. I don't think I even heard all three of the Feverish trilogy when those vids were released, and the ones I did hear I only listened to once. I don't generally like listening to new songs/singles on their own. I can get into the music much more when listening to a full album or EP.

Also I'm just realising that apparently I never bothered to check out the Underworld EP and I've no idea why.

In This Masters Tale might be in the top 3 of that EP and the whole Verkmigheten album.

I thought most editions of the album had that EP at the end.

[Polarbear]

I saw the teaser for the video and thought, ok it's going to be 16 minutes of mermaid cosplay... Yeah, no thanks!

The Underworld songs are also really good. I especially like "The Undying Eye"!

[wolfking]

Needles and Kin is incredible.  That might be a top 5 Soilwork track for me the more it ages.

[ProfessorPeart]

Well, crap. Trying to find some sort of uncompressed or Hi-Res version of Whisp and I am also just now finding out about the Underworld EP. Looks like they left that off the last album for us in the US but gave it to the rest of the world. What else is new.

[gazinwales]

Had two more listens to Atlantic EP today, it's an absolute monster of a record, the title track is sublime.
Let's hope the limited edition of 800 of 'cloudy triple blue' vinyl' gets a more wider release.

[wolfking]

Had two more listens to Atlantic EP today, it's an absolute monster of a record, the title track is sublime.
Let's hope the limited edition of 800 of 'cloudy triple blue' vinyl' gets a more wider release.

And a CD hopefully.......

[gazinwales]

Apparently it's a label decision makes no sense at all in this era, you'd think they'd want to shift more units.

[Grappler]

The new EP is pretty cool.  I'd heard the other trilogy of songs before when they released them on youtube, but the title track is awesome. 

[WebRaider]

Man... Soilwork is a band that I've intended to check out more for a LONG time, pretty much since the release of The Living Infinite but I just never really got around to it more than a song here or there and I think I had checked out The Panic Broadcast. About a week or two ago I decided to put on TLI and I think I've had it on repeat since. It felt like I could tell right away that these were great songs but it took several listens to kind of dissect. I'm loving the album but even with a lot of material I'm hoping not to get burnt out on it. From here what album should I focus on next? What individual songs do you all recommend? 

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Awesome!

For me their peak was the next album The Ride Majestic so if you wanna keep on going try that before diving into their back catalogue.
I would probably check out these to begin with to kinda get a small taste of how their sound evolved. It's a fun run of albums where you get a taste of the old school and the more modern sounding Soilwork.

A Predator's Portrait (2001)
Natural Born Chaos (2002)
Figure Number Five (2003)
Stabbing the Drama (2005

[ariich]

If you like The Living Infinite (that was the first one that really hooked me in too), then I'd highly recommend exploring the rest of their recent output first, and I agree with Mr Boom that The Ride Majestic is their peak so that should be next. But The Panic Broadcast and their latest LP, Verkligheten, are also fantastic.

Once you've worked through those four, at that point I'd suggest doing what Mr Boom says and going back to A Predator's Portrait (their breakthrough album) and working forwards to see how their sound evolved to where they are in their last few albums.

[wolfking]

Man... Soilwork is a band that I've intended to check out more for a LONG time, pretty much since the release of The Living Infinite but I just never really got around to it more than a song here or there and I think I had checked out The Panic Broadcast. About a week or two ago I decided to put on TLI and I think I've had it on repeat since. It felt like I could tell right away that these were great songs but it took several listens to kind of dissect. I'm loving the album but even with a lot of material I'm hoping not to get burnt out on it. From here what album should I focus on next? What individual songs do you all recommend? 

The Ride Majestic.

Then check everything else.  Their old stuff from Chainheart Machine to Natural Born Chaos is just perfect melodic death metal.  The latest one was really good too.  One of my favourite bands, no doubt.

[gazinwales]

Gave 'Majestic' a real close listen today and I was surprised how good it was and much better than I remember.
But my pick is still 'The Living Infinite' and Soilwork are now well established as my all time favourite MDM band!

[wolfking]

Gave 'Majestic' a real close listen today and I was surprised how good it was and much better than I remember.
But my pick is still 'The Living Infinite' and Soilwork are now well established as my all time favourite MDM band!

They are for me, no question.  Majestic is a masterpiece.

[gazinwales]

Masterpiece is a perfect work of art and very few records I have heard I can honesty say are.
I can't really split the last 3 full albums, all are very strong, have a few minor flaws...